Pascal Vinarnic

Pascal is an active member of the Unitus Ventures investment committee, guiding the investment team both on initial investment decisions and on strategies to realize maximum financial return and social impact from the portfolio.

In 1994, Pascal set up Fondation Demeter to support incipient and innovative non-profits develop alternative business models helping them in reaching financial self-sufficiency. For about 10 years Demeter focused upon Microfinance in India, Africa and Latin America. Demeter is now focused upon economic tools for the reinsertion of At-Risk Youth (ranging for handicapped to ex-convicts). As an illustration, Demeter is involved with a social incubator developing programs related to the economic integration of handicapped in Latin America; and with the first dedicated investment fund in NY targeting ex-convicts to help them start their business when they are released from jail. In parallel Demeter was one of the earliest members of the European Venture Philanthropy Association to promote alternative business models in the social sector.

In parallel to Demeter, Pascal has been running a US-focused venture capital and private equity business for 20 years now. He previously spent 10 years as a partner in Bain Capital’s London/Paris offices where he was Bain’s interface for European business.

Angel Investor

Padma Chandrasekaran

Padma Chandrasekaran is an angel investor passionate about investing in promising young startups. She has worked in senior and executive level positions for 18 years in the for-profit sector and for 8 years in the non-profit and research sectors in India and abroad. Padma’s private sector experience (1984-2003) saw her donning the hats of a developer, manager, executive officer and entrepreneur in the IT sector in India, US and the UK. She was a founding member of Sify Ltd and was part of the team that took it public on NASDAQ in 1999. She subsequently founded, ran and successfully sold off a web services software technology company.

Chairman and CEO, VidyaNext

Pradeep Singh

Pradeep Singh founded Aditi Technologies in 1994 after nine years in various management posi­tions at Microsoft, including General Manager of the Windows 95 mobile services group. He is also the founder of Talisma, a CRM software product company. Pradeep previously held engineering and marketing positions at Texas Instruments and McKinsey & Company.

Since founding Aditi, his focus has been on building world-class products and teams for software businesses worldwide. Among other honors, Pradeep has received IIT Delhi’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award (2006) and has been recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum (Davos). He serves on the Board of Grameen Foundation.

Senior Advisor Emeritus, Path

Michael Free

Michael Free, PhD, OBE, serves as PATH’s senior advisor emeritus. In this role, he offers guidance to senior leadership on issues from research and development to technology transfer, licensing, marketing, quality assessment, and introduction. Previously, as PATH’s vice president and senior advisor for technologies, Dr. Free oversaw PATH’s technology development; was the global program leader for Technology Solutions; and directed the Technologies for Health Program (HealthTech), funded by the US Agency for International Development, and the Health Innovation Portfolio, funded by individual contributors and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr. Free was instrumental in PATH’s inception in 1977 and in establishing PATH’s biotechnology laboratory and product design and development facilities. He led more than 100 staff working on a range of health technology projects addressing the specific health care needs of resource-poor populations. Under Dr. Free’s leadership, PATH advanced more than 80 technologies, many of which are currently being manufactured, sold, and used in developing countries.

Founder and CEO at Scorace

Ashish Basu

Ashish is an entrepreneur and advisor seeking innovative and disruptive technology solutions to improve how people learn. He is currently the Founder & CEO of Scorace, an edtech startup with an innovative goal-based approach to learning Math.

Prior to this, he co-founded SafetiPin, a social enterprise that helps make cities safer and more inclusive. Earlier, he was President at NIIT, wherein he started and built the corporate learning services business at NIIT to be one of the top 3, globally. He went on to lead new business ventures for NIIT and provided oversight to new acquisitions and joint ventures including Cognitive Arts, ElementK, Learning.com, NIIT English Plus, Uniqua and Evolv.

Ashish is a strong advocate of mobile technologies, specifically using tablets and phones to create solutions that are unique and can provide lasting social value.

Sridhar Rao

Sridhar is a management consultant, coach and co-founder of Infinum Growth insights, a Bengaluru-based Management Consultancy and Training firm.

He is a Business Management veteran with over 35 years’ experience across Fintech, Telecom, Apparel, Textile, Paints and Agriculture Tractor Industries, with working experience in India, Indonesia and Western Europe.

Sridhar co-founded Novopay, a startup launched in 2013, in the fintech space and funded by Khosla Ventures and IDFC. Novopay works with leading private sector banks, offering banking and payments services through a large network of retail outlets across India. His last corporate stint was with Vodafone India for eight years, where he was the CEO of Kolkata/W.Bengal telecom circles, where Vodafone became the market leader during his six-year tenure.

Sridhar is currently the Managing Editor of www.infinumgrowth.com, an online magazine offering articles and short films, giving insights on Personal Growth and Business Development.

Sridhar is a Mechanical Engineer from Delhi College of Engineering, University of Delhi and a MBA from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.

Director, Mission Investing at Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

Geeta Goel

Geeta is responsible for leading the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’s global Mission Investing function. The foundation has made catalytic program-related investments across its India-based microfinance, health and education initiatives, and its U.S.-based education initiatives.

Prior to this role, Geeta led the foundation’s Family Economic Stability initiative. She has represented the foundation on several investee boards, including that of Janalakshmi, Ujjivan, Micro Housing Finance Corporation and Swadhaar.

Before joining the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Geeta spent more than 12 years with the corporate finance group of PricewaterhouseCoopers in India, advising large Indian and multinational clients on joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, business plans, and valuations. She is an alumni of the Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) and Lady Shri Ram College (Delhi).